Myakka SP, Everglades NP, and Miami Beach

Our search for Florida Gators was fulfilled at Myakka State park.  A 2.6 mile hike through palmetto and pine trees and along a pelican filled lake, led us to the Deep Hole, a Florida sink hole filled with gators, vultures, and egrets.

Going over a slight rise to get a better vista, we spooked a pile of alligators on shore and sent them crashing into the hole.  Here they are placid again!

En route to the Everglades stopped by this Gulf beach on Sanibel Island and enjoyed the soft sand, cool water, and lovely sunset.  Apparently watching sunsets in the official Florida activity, which we have experienced every time we have been near the Gulf.

An unexpected pleasure was a multi-hour stop at the winter estate and research center of Thomas Edison in Fort Meyer, Florida.  He invented so much more than the light bulb and the phonograph. Who knew that our George Forman Grills were just a spin-offf of the Edicraft Sandwich Grill of 1930?

On the western edge of the Everglades is the less publicized Big Cypress Swamp, part of the same system.  Here we enjoyed the large numbers of big egrets, little egrets, herons, anhingas, and other birds we have started to become accustomed to.  There are even white "great blue herons" here, a Florida anomoly.  They are very difficult to differentiate from the egrets.

Had to take a break near Miami to get the RV serviced, so braved the traffic and made our way to Miami Beach.  Too windy to be on a beach, but enjoyed seeing the highly civilized assortment of chairs, umbrellas, life guard stands, etc.  Note the cruise ships in the background.  Three departed just before sundown.

Coolest part of Miami Beach was the art deco design used on nearly all the buildings along the main beach road.  Very unique and colorful!

Finally, we make it to a campground in the Everglades!!!  Joined a ranger on a Swamp Slog!

Knee deep in clear water as we patrol the cypress swamps that form in the deepest of the water systems here.

Encountered a barred owl staring at us from the trees.  They are not evil here like they are in Washington, cause they are supposed to be here.

Next free ranger trip was a canoe trip into the mangrove swamps in the southern everglades.  Note gator patrolling the beach!

The passageways weaving through the clumps of mangroves and grasses are completely confusing.  Followed white PVC markers and clung close to the ranger's kayak.  At one point we were surrounded by bellowing alligators that we could not see, only hear.  They are warming up for breeding season.

Cuban cigars escaped from an illegal shipment through the swamps????   NO!  These blobs are cigar shaped clumps of algae called periphyton that are the base of the food chain in the "river of grass" that is the Everglades.  Here they are floating on about a foot of water.  They are fun to squeeze.

The Anhinga trail in the Everglades is a nice boardwalk for the casual tourist that yields good animal sightings such as this one.

We accompanied a ranger on a night hike there, spotting the retinal reflex of these gator's eyes in our flashlight beam.  Can you see the two reddish spots?

Sadly, the southernmost reaches of the Everglades, where we camped for two nights, is a prime breeding ground for mosquitos.  Although it is now the dry season and supposedly enjoyable, it rained several times, raising the mosquito meter reading.

End result was that Dixie got devoured while somehow Dirk remained unscathed.  Who is more delicious?  We both suffered a night of no sleep when the mosquitoes went on the war path and discovered that there were passageways around the screens on the RV.  Since it was warm enough that we were sleeping with the windows open, we spend much of the night turning on the light and hunting the humming varmits.

A celebration was in order.  Finally, our vision of putting out our canopy and reading in our fold up chairs while sipping cool iced tea became a reality, if only for two days!

Ospreys were everywhere.  This nest is on a mangrove tree in Florida Bay.

It is breeding season and couples are hanging out at their nests.

On a nautical marker in the bay.

On a platform at the Marina

On a snag in the prairie.

In a tree along the road

Next destination is the Keys!!!   Swimming......snorkling.......??????

New Orleans, the Gulf, and the Manatees!!!

Inspired by our cooking class in New Orleans, Dirk created almond pralines in the RV.  A little too crumbly so we had to eat them promptly!!!

First stop out of New Orleans was the Chalmette Battlefield, site of the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812 against Britain.

Apparently this battle was extremely important in keeping Britain from taking over the entire Louisiana Purchase and Mississippi shipping channels from the US, but of course, to me, the battle is most important for the cool song it generated!

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Had to do some major strategizing on our itinerary, as we did not have much idea what we were doing in Phase II.  Turns out other people like to go to Florida in the winter, so rolling into a State Park or cool camp site at 6pm without reservations is not OK, ie, one will not get a site.

Skirted the beaches of Mississippi and Louisiana before getting into Florida.  Really nice beaches and periodic sunshine, but too cold or windy to hang out.

Did take advantage of the seafood places along the coast, for some fresh shrimp and some Cajun boiled peanuts!  As always, our picnics are in the nice warm and wind-free RV.

One of our favorite Louisiana campgrounds, Gulf State Park, had a great Nature Center where we got to hold this very affectionate opossum that was raised from an infant.

Well, sort of ugly-cute, but soft, warm, and loving.  Hard to pry its claws and its tail off of us to put back into cage!

Rode bikes to this beach in Florida.  Found these very weird birds....not seagulls.  A closer look shows enormous bills with an orange band around them by head. They are skimmers according to a sagacious Brit we met on the beach.

Some fun drama at the Nature Center was the encouraged pursuit of the female box turtle by the male box turtle. Staff want to raise some baby turtles at the center.  The female was not too enthused at the idea, however!

She cleverly retreated to under a display case, where there was not quite enough room for the male turtle to do his thing.

Finally in Florida where apparently a lot of turtles HAVE done their thing!  This crystal clear river is one of many that flows out of the limestone substrate of Florida, producing 72 degree springs that create beautiful, life filled rivers.  We canoed this from our campground, surrounded by anhinga "snake-birds" and soft and hard shelled turtles.  Too cold to go swimming, but the water was warm!

Top billing on Dixie's bucket list was fulfilled this day in Crystal River,  Florida.  We got on a boat at sunrise and headed for one of the warm springs where the Gulf manatees congregate in the winter to stay warm.  The very cold weather we have been "enjoying" has some apparent benefit----record numbers of manatee!

With wet suits on and snorkels and masks in position, we swam from the boat to a headspring to greet the sleeping manatees.

They like humans and once we arrived, many of them swam around with us and rumbled with each other.  Remember that cameras are wide angle.  I was touching these manatees and part of the rumble.

We both participated in a lot of back rubbing and scratching action.  Laws require touching with one open hand only, to show that you are not grabbing or doing anything bad to the protected animals, but that was fine for scratching their algae covered backs.  Most of them had propeller scars on their backs. Biggest cause of death for manatees is boat encounters.

Is this baby cute or what?  Whiskers on chin, nostrils that close underwater and open when they surface, tiny eyes.  Often looked at them face to face from 0-12".  They do give kisses!

Two days later we canoed from our campground on the Chassahowitzka River, another river with warm springs that attracts manatees.  At least 10 were congregated right at the boat launch and hanging out in one's canoe was rewarded by visits.  These 1000 lb, 12 foot long animals were all around our canoe!  This baby definitely solicited scratches from us and other canoers!

On a less happy note, apparently now that we are further south, the alligators are actually awake.  This one guarded the trail to the observation tower at Payne Prairie State Park.  If all the signs say to stay a minimum of 12 feet from any alligator on land, and the trail is only 6 feet wide, and this gator is sitting on the edge of it, what does one do????  We waited until some poor ignorant chump coming the other direction walked by unharmed. Then we pushed a med student that we had met in front of us before proceeding.

A few days later, we were not so lucky!

The park we entered tonight is having a Florida Frost Festival, complete with snow sledding for kids.  It did not seem to deter the alligators, however.

This is what awaits us tomorrow!

East Texas and Louisiana

Phase 2 of Havlak US Tour began with a bang!  Uncertain what our New Year's Eve plans were, we ended up on a dock in Uncertain, Texas, population 94, with one of the best firework displays we have ever had and soooo up close and personal!

Population has apparently declined since sign was made.

Local firemen/pyromaniacs launched barge in Caddo Lake and for half an hour set off these displays while we hung out with the locals on this little fishing dock.

Next day rented some state park canoes for our first venture into the swamps. Don't worry, the mosquitos and the alligators are asleep at this time of year!

Got a new doo while in Texas!

Bald cypress trees lose their needles in the winter, but don't need em cause they have plenty of Spanish Moss decor!

A little local color on this boathouse overlooking the lake!

Holidays ain't over yet!  Turns out, being Catholic and all, that Christmas season ends at 12th night.  The town of Natchetoches (pronounced Nak a tesh) had an awesome river/lake walk with some unique light displays.  This is the town's 300th year. Of is it the states???......well, this is the oldest town in the state, sight  of an early French fort.

Near Natchitoches is the Cane River road, site of past cotton plantations. I thought Texas was flat.  This is flatter than flat.  That is why Louisiana is half water.....none of it ever flows anywhere.

Had to visit some plantations....although they are $10-24 a pop.  Here is the big house at one Acadian cotton plantation.

Also visited the Acadian Cultural Center and this adjacent Vermillian Village with a number of Acadian/Cajun homes and buildings on site.  Wow, did the Acadians ever get screwed by England!  But what a cultural mix resulted. in Louisiaina....as long as you said you would be French and Catholic, you were in good standing, whether European Jew or long time Spaniard or Cajun or Native American or escaped slave.  The historical mix reminds me of Belize now.

Laura Plantation run by women and our woman tourguide.  this one made big bucks on sugar cane and is surrounded by oil refineries, the big bucks for Louisiana now!  They make a mean cane syrup!

Back into the wilds, we camped by Lafayette at an awesome state park, bubbling over with armadillos.  Here Dirk watches one rustling in the duff.

Here is one of the best of our many armadillo pictures.  We spotted over 20 at different times, snuffling for bugs amongst the abundant leaves. Most of the pics don't include the heads, which are buried in leaves.  The little critters seemed oblivious to light and talking but would occasionally start at our presence and bound away like bunnies!

Find the armadillo!  Find the cypress knees!

OK---I have never conceptualized a pelican tree, but there are 7 pelicans roosting in this tree.  Must be a strong limbed tree.

And now a change of gears as we toured the Katrina wipe out zones of New Orleans, on a tour.  These are very expensive all green homes built by Brad Pitt.  He is setting an interesting example for recreating a neighborhood.

Habitat for Humanity homes in assorted colors.  Had some glitches in materials and only built about 1/3 the amount planned.

On tour learned that the waterways of Louisiana in general, and specifically New Orleans, are as complex as these cypress roots beside the bayou.

The Mississippi river is higher than everything else and the lake is lower and canals take water through all the neighborhoods although I am not sure why or where and there are pumping stations that pump water into the lake or out of it or maybe just swirl it around.  Note how much higher this canal is than the homes on the right.  The lake levees busted, the canal pumps did not work, pump workers split town, etc etc etc when katrina hit.

Less mind boggling was the sixth annual celebration of Joan of Arc's birthday and twelth night and the start of Mardi Gras with a walking parade through the French Quarter.  Too bad it was 25 degrees out.  Joan of Arc was 602 years old yesterday!

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Today after our cooking class we headed for the World War II Museum, located here because with the maze of water ways here, New Orleans had a boat maker who designed the landing craft for D Day and won the war for the Allies.  So he was honored with a very high class museum.  Here I am hiding in a 1 person German bomb shelter.

Thank god I did not have to make planes. The wings would have fallen off.

Dirk and I went on a submarine simulation mission.  We took out a bunch of Jap ships and then got sunk by our own torpedo.  Dirk's dad was on a sub which fortunately did not sink itself.  Tomorrow is the celebration of 200th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans and we will be there to sing "The Song."